Twisted Fate
by JSullivan
Summary: John Constantine returns to the city of angels to face his greatest challenges yet; Angela, a child, and the return of his sister. See also branch off story 'The Bounty of Giants'.
1. Renewed

John Constantine moved slowly along the edges of his apartment, letting his right hand graze the sides of each wall, and popping his gum to the beat of morning traffic. It was 7 am on a Monday morning and Constantine had just returned from a month long retreat in the Vatican City. The retreat hadn't been his idea, more so Midnite's, but it had had its benefits. One month of prayer and silence can do wonders for your faith, or so some thought. For Constantine it was more a retreat focusing on what to do next. Regaining his soul, loosing nearly all of the few friends he had and meeting Angela had left him more confused than ever. He blamed this on the fact that he had never really had an uncertain future before, well not since he was 17. Stopping at a window he ran his index finger along the shadows of his scars and looked out over Las Angeles. _Why had he come back?_ The question he posed to himself made his hair stand on end. He had returned because of, _Angela_. Surprising, how fast his response was. Throwing his tasteless gum out the window he crossed to his bathroom and arched his body over the sink. He looked like shit, God he hated planes. 14 hours of pure misery. And that was only the flight from Rome's Da Vinci Airport to Newarck, New Jersey. Newarck, now there's a town, he chuckled to himself. Constantine raised his eyes from his reflection to the remains of his bathtub. _Fuck_. Angela, fucking Angela. He would visit her, he decided, but first came Midnite.


	2. Unclean

"Couldn't you have showered?" Midnite asked without looking up from the book that lay on his desk.

"Honestly, they turned my water off. Apparently I didn't pay last month's bill." Constantine replied, sitting down in the chair across from him. Midnite got up and returned the thick book to a shelf behind the desk then turned around to gaze at his old friend.

"Why did you come back John?" Midnite sighed. The question shocked Constantine more because he had asked the same question than the fact that it was rude. "What is left for you here?" Constantine pondered the question before opening his mouth to answer. "The girl?" Midnite shook his head, coming around the desk to sit atop it. "It is better if you leave her be."

"Why? Has something happened to her, did she mention me?" Constantine snapped, panic in his voice. A slim smile snaked around Midnite's lips.

"Ah, so it is the girl!"

"You son-of-a-bitch." Constantine pushed his chair away and came at Midnite. Laughing, Midnite put a hand up in mock self-defense.

"I joke, John. Hmm, in all our years together I have never seen you so defensive. Do you know what they call that John?"

"Bad luck?" Constantine replied, righting the chair again. Midnite shook his head again and walked towards Constantine.

"No, John. Love. They call it love."

"Love!" Constantine spat the word out as he sat back down. "You think I'm in love with her?" Constantine gave a pained laugh.

"Hard to believe, but yes, I do believe the great John Constantine is in love."

"Lust at most." Constantine said, stretching his long frame in the chair. Midnite just smirked, knowing glimmering in his brown eyes.

"Call it what you want John," Midnite said, returning to the seat behind his desk "it has held many names and shall have more with time. And lord knows, the feeling is used to being denied."

"Love…" Constantine scoffed, glaring at his old friend.

"Well, if that is all the business we have today then I'll have to ask you to leave." Midnite said, back to his usual manner. "I have a 10 o'clock meeting with a particularly nasty half-breed and I'll need time to prepare all my wits about me."

"First you insult me with this love business, now your kicking me out?" Constantine asked, standing up.

"Such is life." Midnite said as Constantine opened the door to leave. "Oh, and John?" Constantine looked back at the powerful shaman sitting behind the deep desk. "Take a shower before you go visit her, you stink something awful"


	3. Reunion

"Coming!" Constantine heard Angela shout through her apartment door. Nervously (why was he so fucking nervous? Fucking Midnite!) Constantine pulled at his thin black tie and rearranged his hair for the fourth time since arriving in her building. What the hell was he doing here, he thought to himself, feeling the impulse to run down the hallway back to the elevator. This was silly. He had faced demons, Lucifer's son and the big man downstairs himself. And what made him the most nerve-wracked? A little Irish-Catholic women named Angela. How… pathetic. "John?" Angela's voice interrupted his thoughts and he glanced down at her short form. Seeing her face, Constantine let out the largest breath of his life. He hadn't even known he had been holding his breath. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, looking at him quizzically.

"Uh, I, I, just returned from Rome." He mumbled, not so much as an answer to her question, but more as a nervous statement. Angela nodded her head, taking it as the best answer she was going to get from him.

"Uh, wanna come in?" She asked, moving aside to let him enter. Constantine hardly let the offer sit in the air for a second before gliding in. Anxiously he ran his hand through his air as she shut the door. After locking it she walked into her kitchen. "Make yourself at home." She called out to him from the other room. Constantine sat down harshly on the sofa and gazed around him. In all his years he had never been in any place so purely feminine, but that wasn't saying much of anything. "Shit!" he heard her whisper as a crash echoed from the kitchen. Curious, Constantine lie his across the sofa and crossed to the kitchen door.

"Do you need any help?" He asked, the amusement of the sight she was evident in his voice. Angela glared up at him from where she was on the floor collecting bits of a broken plate. Constantine leaned against the doorway and gave her a rare smile.

"Actually, maybe." Angela replied, as she stood and dropped the shards in the garbage. "We know John Constantine can exorcize demons and outwit Satan himself, but how good is he at making spaghetti?" Angela asked while washing her hands. Constantine crossed to the sink, rolling up the sleeves of his oxford revealing his tattoos. Angela grinned and handed him the soap as she moved over for him to wash up.

"Spaghetti is one of my many talents." He retorted as he soaped up. "Before my parents became scared of me I used to help my mother in the kitchen." Constantine dried his hands off on his dark pants as he went to the burner to check the damage. "Well, little Miss Homemaker why don't you sit this one out and let me show you how the masters do it." Angela scoffed, but sat down at the small table anyway. Going to work, Constantine threw out Angela's noodles and began on a new batch. Jesus, he thought, talk about jogging memory lane. They occupied the kitchen together in a comfortable silence, every now and then Constantine stopping to ask where something was in her kitchen.

"Why are you so happy?" Angela suddenly asked as Constantine diced tomatoes for sauce. "What did they do to you in Rome?"

"It's the effect of hope I think. I've never had hope before." He replied honestly, throwing the tomatoes in the pot. Turning back to the counter for another tomato he was surprised when he nearly ran into her. Angela looked up at him with her big brown eyes and lifted a hand to his cheek.

"It's an interesting change." She said softly as she played with his sideburns. Using a tad bit of force she guided his face down toward hers and kissed him softly on the lips. Constantine could have stopped everything there, but he let himself go as he lifted her onto the counter and pressed his lips harder to hers. Angela murmured his name as his hands stroked the outside length of her thighs and slipped under her white tank top. Skimming each rib with his trembling hands he separated their kiss and moved down to her neck. "John…" Angela whispered into his ear as she ran her hands along his back and played with his dark hair. Constantine nipped at her neck once more before drawing back. Angela put both hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes.

"Is this what you want?" He whispered.

"I've thought of you since you left, I even stopped by once. You weren't there and I thought you would never come back." She admitted, "So, yes, this is what I want. I want us to be together."

"I could never offer you anything… normal, you know that right. There comes a risk with being associated with me."

"I understand that John, I mean I'm a witness to it." Angela smiled tenderly up at him as Constantine bent down for another kiss. "Your noodles are boiling." She stated before he could kiss her walked over to the burner and turned it off then returned to stand between Angela's legs.

"Where is the bedroom?" He whispered as he lifted her up into his arms.

"Second door on the right." She replied softly as she began to unbutton his shirt. Quietly he carried her to the dark room and closed the door with his foot before laying them both on the bed.


	4. Dropped in on

This chapter occurs a few months later…

Constantine moved quietly about the room in search of his socks, glancing over at Angela every few moments to see if she was awake yet.

"Fuck this" he mumbled before exiting the room with only his pants on. Throwing down his wrinkled oxford he grabbed his white under shirt and exited the bedroom. Impatiently he struggled to get the shirt on as he crossed to the kitchen. With the least amount of noise as possible he put a pot of coffee on and started to clean up last nights dinner. A few minutes later Angela's cat joined him, meowing for attention. Taking a rest from scraping the bottom of a pot he sat down on the white tile floor. "Hey kitty. What was your name again? Pal, Buster… no…"

"Well, well, well. John Constantine, have you gone soft on us?" A snakey voice questioned. Jumping up, Constantine faced the owner of the voice.

"Balthazar." He spat, frowning at the sleek demon half-breed.

"You look surprised Johnny Boy!"

"I thought I destroyed you already…"

"So you _thought_." The half-breed grinned as he scanned his surroundings. "Interesting place you have here Johnny, a bit… too bright for you I think. So, what young thing did you fuck last…" Constantine cut Balthazar off before he could continue, grasping the demon's neck in one hand and squeezing.

"What are you doing here Balthazar?" Constantine questioned as he squeezed harder.

"He can't talk if he can't breathe John." Angela interjected as she walked into her kitchen. Taking a seat at her table she folded her arms and concentrated on the scene enfolding before her. In response Constantine released the struggling half-breed from his iron grasp.

"Aren't we sensitive" Balthazar wheezed from his pool on the floor.

"Don't get up" Constantine said, as he watched the demon for any tricks. "Just answer this before I kill you, what are you doing here?"

"Oh that's incentive…" Angela said under her breath. Constantine gave her a side glance,

"Angela, please…" Angela just shrugged as Constantine returned to his intended victim.

"Some girl there Johnny" Balthazar smiled. Glaring, Constantine sent a forceful kick to the center of the demon's face.

"White tiles." Angela mumbled, flinching at the violence. Constantine ignored her comment and kneeled down to Balthazar's side.

"Why are you here?" Constantine whispered into Balthazar's broken face.

"To warn you."

"Warn me? How so? Since when did you go out of your way to help me?" Constantine asked skeptically.

"It comes at a price, but I swear on Hell's Bible…"

"Like that means anything…" Constantine interrupted.

"It does." Balthazar assured, catching Constantine's eye.

"What is your price?" Angela asked, joining Constantine at the demon's side. Constantine frowned at her, but she pressed on. "What is your price half-breed?"

"Constantine's protection."

"Against what?" Constantine asked, still not sure what he was getting himself into.

"Adriana" Balthazar replied, dropping his bloodied head as her spat out the name. Constantine got up and shook his head looking down at the small man.

"How did you get involved with Adriana?" Constantine asked.

"Who's Adriana?" Angela asked, posing the question to both men.

"Is she serious Johnny Boy?" Balthazar laughed, glancing up at him.

"She's new."

"Who's Adriana?" Angela pressed.

"I'll tell you later." Constantine replied to her.

"No, now. You woke me up with all this racket and there's a bleeding demon in my kitchen. So I'd like to know now thanks." Getting up Angela put both her hands on her hips and glared up at him.

"Sassy"

"Shut up Balthazar" Constantine threatened. "She's an acquaintance. A very old acquaintance."


	5. The Surprise

"Is that all I am to you brother?" Constantine turned to see his younger sister leaning against the doorway to Angela's kitchen. At 6 foot she was a threatening person with a sculpted body and flashing eyes. Instantly he felt their powers testing each other, looking for faults. "An old acquaintance?" Smiling, Adriana walked slowly towards the fallen demon, now noticeably shaking and knelt down next to him. "Can you believe him Balthazar? Denying me, his only living relative. The nerve." Balthazar squirmed under Adriana's power.

"Adriana, he is under my protection." Constantine called to her, not knowing exactly why he was deciding to take this position against his sister.

"Is he now? How… tacky." Adriana clucked, standing up and dusting herself off. "Then you shall expect no trouble from me dear brother. What is claimed is claimed." Hesitating, Constantine helped Balthazar up and leaned him against the opposing wall, as far away from his sister as he could get him in the small kitchen. "Who's the broad?" Adrianna nodded towards Angela.

"The broad? Who are you calling broad?" Angela riled up and Constantine could feel the two female powers vibrating off the walls. Balthazar moaned in the corner under all the power's pressure.

"How cute brother, you have your own little psychic." Adrianna crooned as she backed off. Not that Adrianna was afraid of Angela, it was more her brother she feared. "It was nice. This little family reunion, we should do it again sometime. Perhaps once the baby, opps." Adrianna froze in mock horror. "Did it slip Balthazar? Did it? My bad." She chuckled as she backed out of the kitchen. "Goodbye Constantine, kiss, kiss big brother."

"Baby?" Angela screeched. Confused, Constantine looked to Balthazar for answers but the sneaky devil had escaped.

"Dammit." Constantine exploded. "Stay here Angela, I'll be back. Lock the doors and let no one in, except me. I'll find him." Hurriedly Constantine ran to the bedroom and collected his coat and shoes before flying out the door.

"Baby?" Angela mouthed.


	6. Answers

Never in all her life had Angela seen herself visiting such a place. A seedy bar where she would find Midnite, the name on the card John had dropped on her bedroom floor a couple of weeks before. Collecting her coat around her tighter she entered the bar to the moan and groan of techno music. Quickly she headed to the bar.

"Midnite" She called to the busty blond serving at the bar. The blond pointed to a set of stairs heading down that Angela made her way to, weaving through the throng of people. At the bottom of the stairs stood a muscular male guarding the entrance to the second level.

"Hi, I'm here to see Midnite." The guard lifted a tarot card from stack on the table, "Umm…" What was she supposed to do?

"Really Vaughn, must we quiz everyone?" A slightly accented voice questioned. Turning Angela saw a tale, dark man coming down the stairs behind her. Smiling he came towards her, "Midnite, you must be Angela."

"Yes, how did you know?" Angela asked, smiling back.

"John speaks of nothing else these days." He replied taking her hand, "come, let us go to my office." Leading the way he guided her through the second layer of the club towards a massive door that opened when they approached. He released her hand once they had crossed the threshold. "I expect you want some answers." Midnite said, sitting down behind his desk. "Please, make yourself comfortable." Angela sat down on a chair across from him and scanned the odd room. Dark was her first thought. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and opened her mouth to start.

"Am I pregnant?" She asked, her eyes flashing to Midnite's face. He smiled at her and lit up a cigarette.

"What do you think?"

"I think I am." She sighed. "I mean, I don't have proof. No tests or anything, but I feel it." Midnite nodded and took a puff. "Is this child… in danger?" Midnite scrunched his brow in thought as he put out the half finished cigarette.

"A difficult question," he sighed, coming around the desk to kneel in front of her. "This child, the offspring of a powerful psychic and a… well, John. It has the potential to tip the scales, if it accepts what it is. Many, would see this child dead because of that possibility." Midnite took Angela's trembling hands in his, making her feel instantly calmer. "We will protect it."

"We?" Angela whispered, barely able to handle what she was hearing.

"Once John knows, we. I will do my best to protect it." He gave her hands a squeeze before getting up again to return to his desk.

"Adrianna?" Midnite froze and slowly turned around to face Angela again. "Who is she Midnite? John's sister, he has never mentioned a sister before."

"You have seen Adrianna?" Midnite asked calmly, but Angela could see his mind working.

"Who is she Midnite?" Angela asked, getting out of her chair to stand before him. Midnite's words came slow and paced his mind far away as he spoke.

"Adrianna is John's half-sister. After John tried to commit suicide his parent's marriage broke up and his father fooled around, the product was Adrianna. He and I, well… years ago we raised her. John's parents reconciled and left, I'm not sure where they went but his father denied Adrianna and deserted her. Adrianna's mother, a nurse working at the hospital John stayed in, she gave her to John. He was only twenty and facing an uncertain future and then, a three year old sister. Let's just say it came as a surprise. He did his best, she helped keep him alive." Midnite stopped and shut his eyes. Angela watched his eyes move beneath the lids as silence engulfed them.

"What happened to her?" Angela questioned, pressing Midnite's hand.

"She was… sixteen? Maybe, or older. She fell in love and John, he killed him. He killed her lover."

"Why?" Angela gasped.

"Who's to say, he never explained to me. He just came in days after bloodied and without Adrianna. They got into a fight and both let their powers boil over, I haven't heard of her since." Angela leaned against Midnite as he stroked her hair.

"What should I do Midnite?" Angela whispered.

"Keep you and your child safe. It is all you can do."


	7. Adrianna

Angela surprised herself by grasping Midnite in a desperate hug. Midnite looked down at her with confusion, then settled his hands on the top of her back.

"I know we've only just met but, I trust you Midnite. Please help me, help John and I." Angela whimpered, her mouth against his hard chest.

"I will do all in my power." Sniffling and feeling uncharacteristically powerless Angela gave him a quick smile before leaving the door to his office.

"What tales you weave shaman." Adrianna teased, coming out from a connecting room. Midnite glared at her as he leaned against his desk, rubbing his temples with ringed fingers.

"We do what we must."

"Not thinking much of the balance, are we?" She sneered, crossing the office to the bar where she poured herself a shot of whiskey and slid it down her throat.

"This child, if it were to get into the wrong hands. If anyone ever found out what it was capable of… you know what could happen."

"So… the plan is to steal it? Or is that too harsh of a vocabulary?" Midnite smashed his hand against the desk, his eyes glaring at her from across the room.

"Adrianna, we must. It is the only choice."

"No!" Adrianna growled, crossing to Midnite. He felt her power grow, so similar to her brothers but distinctively different. "There are other options, we could protect it, not steal it, we…"

"Adrianna!" Midnite screamed, freezing her in her tracks. "We've been over this. There is no better choice, we must do this." Adrianna shook her head, returning to the bar to further intoxicate herself. "Since when did you do things for your brother, did he choice a different path when Darius was…"

"Midnite…" Adrianna hissed, "don't you dare use him like that, DON'T YOU DARE!" She chucked the shot glass at Midnite's head, missing him by an inch. Instead it hit the mirror behind him, shattering into a thousand glowing pieces.

"Please Adrianna, control yourself." Midnite said calmly.

"I'm out of here," She called, shooting out of his office, his club, and onto the dark streets of Las Angeles. Inside, Midnite called to his guard Vaughn.

"Vaughn, follow her. Don't mess with her till she's passed out. Give it time, she will be. Adrianna cannot hold her liquor." Vaughn nodded and closed the office door behind him as he followed Adrianna onto the streets.


	8. Mornings

"_John, I need you, please. It's Darius… oh, God. I don't know what's wrong with him, please, please John…"_

The memory flashed before his eyes like it had happened yesterday rather than three years ago. He'd gone to the cramped apartment his sister kept with her boyfriend Darius and found what had left her sobbing on his phone. He didn't remember having ever seen her cry until that day, her shaking form a bridge over his dead body. He had tried to exorcize the demon, but the thing had held too tightly. It had been the first and only person he'd ever lost to a demon and he aimed to keep it that way. Tired, he unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in. Not bothering to turn on any lights he tripped into his bedroom and onto his bed.

"Ouch!" Constantine woke up instantly, alarmed that there was someone already in his bed.

"Angela?" He whispered.

"Who else dumbass? You never came back so I came here, I was restless." Constantine sat on the side of his bed and began to undress. "John, I'm pregnant." Constantine gave a barely audible sigh. "John, did you hear me? I'm pregnant."

"I heard you." He said, standing to take off his pants and oxford.

"So, any thoughts? What are we going to do?" Angela asked, propping her head on her hand so she could watch him in the moonlight.

"I was hoping on going to bed. Then in the morning I was going to ignore this newly presented fact and try to find my sister."

"And would you continue to ignore it all the way to the hospital?"

"I was planning on telling myself you were just gaining winter weight." He sighed, joining her under the covers. After fluffing his pillow he took her in his arms and yawned.

"We really should discuss." Angela said, interrupting the silence.

"In the morning" Constantine yawned, closing his eyes.

"Fine, but Lucifer himself couldn't excuse you from it. The morning it is."

"_Oh God John, what's wrong with him? I tried to exorcize it but nothings worked. Please, please John." John walked into the homey two-room apartment, stopping only to notice Adrianna was crying. He passed her at his quick pace and pushed the curtain to the bedroom aside. Darius was already tied to the bed, each limb connected to an iron bedpost. The young mans eyes glowed and he snarled at Constantine as he entered. _

_"What have you tried already Adrianna?" Constantine asked as his sister joined him._

_"Everything, St. Augustine… even St. Luke. Nothing worked… I don't know anymore. Please help him John." Constantine went over to the bed, scanning Darius' eyes. Shuffling around in his pocket he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up. Inhaling slowly he went to work…_


	9. Over Breakfast

Adrianna couldn't help herself, in a drunken fit she had ran out on Midnite and knowing fully that he would have that ugly baboon Vaughn follow her she had took to the place she knew the stupid half-breed couldn't follow her. Crossing the bare streets she tried her hardest to walk a straight line, all the while trying not to step on a crack for fear of breaking her mother's back. Ridiculous, how simple rhymes like that can come back to you when you're drunk…

"_Adrianna, Adrianna!" John called, but Adrianna kept to the shadows trying to stifle her quiet sobs as her brother's searched. "Fuck. Adrianna!" Finally the little girl couldn't handle it; keeping her back to the wall she slid her body from behind the leather chair trying her hardest to be as quiet as a mouse. "Adrianna! Where the hell…" Her brother continued before being cut off by a ferocious roar. Adrianna froze in her tracks and peered from behind the shelter of the chair. Her brother lay on the floor, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. Adrianna's breath caught in her throat and she fought the urge to run to him. Her brother had always told her that if anything ever happened to him the best thing to do was run and hide. _

"_Constantine…" A voice hissed from somewhere inside the room. Reversing herself Adrianna scooted her small frame back behind the chair and huddled in a ball. "And now, exorcist I'm going to finish you off and all my kind will thank me. Little will they know it was this easy." _

"_Fuck you!" Adrianna heard her brother's voice scream as noise and light erupted throughout the room. Dead silence followed as pieces of plaster rained from the ceiling. _

"_Adrianna, are you alright?" Her brother croaked as he looked down at her behind the chair. She tried to nod her head, but found it too painful. Sighing, her older brother stretched his long frame to reach her and enclosed her in his secure arms. Adrianna trembled as he held her, whispering strings of Latin into her throbbing ears. _

"_Why were you hiding from me?" He asked Adrianna after sitting them both down._

"_I wet my bed." Adrianna whispered, looking up at him with guilty eyes._

Fingering the necklace at her throat she entered the dilapidated apartment room. Crossing the room she poured herself a cup full of strong gin (her brother still his it in the same place he had when she was fourteen), sat down and lit a cigarette. She didn't quite know why she had come here, to listen to his brother's snores wafting in from the other room. But sitting in the dark, feeling the peace of this place, she felt calm and a little less drunk.

"Why the hell are you here Adrianna?" Constantine asked, a little surprised that he had risen to go to the bathroom only to find his younger sister passed out on his bathroom floor. Adrianna shook her head groggily and unfolded her long frame.

"A little visit." She replied sarcastically, leaning against the toilet to help herself stand up. Constantine didn't offer her any help, only put the stopper in the sink and ran cold water. Adrianna closed her bloodshot eyes before dunking her head into the full sink not bothering to hold her long hair back from being drenched. With a short hiss she threw her head back and drenched the back walls in beads of water.

"Why are you here Adrianna?" Constantine asked again from behind her, wiping off what she had whipped at him with a towel. Adrianna frowned at him in the mirror and unplugged the sink as she struggled with a response.

"It's Midnite, he needs to see you. The child, John. This child… well, hell, he'll do a better job of describing it then I will. You _need_ to see him, now."

"Now?" Constantine asked, a little worried at what Midnite had to tell him.

"Now? Oh, if you only knew… but you will." Adrianna left the bathroom and returned to her unfinished gin. Lighting another cigarette she sat down and felt the beads of water slide down her face. A few minutes later John was dressed and watching his sister sip his gin at the table.

"Will you watch Angela?" He asked quietly as he put his watch on. Angela nodded her head as she put her cigarette out and reached for another. "Well, you know where the gin is. When she wakes up tell her I'll be back soon." Constantine started out the door before stopping to address her one last time. "You still wear your necklace" Adrianna jerked her head up in surprise on the question. Pulling her shirt collar back she showed him the silver chain with two pendants hanging against her pale skin.

"Mater and St. Benedict." She commented, covering it once again. Constantine struggled to smile at her as he closed the door to his apartment and locked all four locks. With each click of the lock Adrianna winced, knowing what lay before her and detesting it like nothing she had ever had to do before.

Angela woke up slowly, trying to avoid remembering all she had learned the day before. Reaching over to her side she felt the empty space in the bed.

"Asshole…" She mumbled. Stretching, she slid out of bed and into what might pass as Constantine's kitchen making her way to the fridge.

"He told me to wait for you." Angela turned quickly, catching her breath she saw Adrianna sitting at the table drinking gin and smoking a cigarette. She smiled when Angela let a sigh of relief.

"You scared me." Angela laughed nervously. Adrianna smiled sadly and put her cigarette out. "Where's John?" Angela asked joining Adrianna at the table.

"He left early and told me to stay here." Adrianna took another swig of gin.

"Isn't it a bit early?"

"It's never too early for gin." Adrianna retorted, toasting her with the last drops in her glass.

"Um, I thought you and John weren't on the best terms,"

"Yeah, well we weren't. But we had… a moment last night." Adrianna got up and put her glass on the counter.

"What did he do to him?" Angela asked, uncertain about why she was asking. Adrianna turned slowly around and met her sad eyes with Angela's.

"He, he…" Adrianna cleared her throat and bit her lip nervously. "John tried to help him and, well, he couldn't. We both tried. I… Darius, his name was Darius. It was a demon, a very strong demon. We couldn't do anything to save him, so we watched as he died. And eventually, John put him… he stopped the pain, for Darius."

"The way Midnite made it sound,"

"He didn't know the facts. The last time I spoke about to anyone I was hysterical. I had seen my brother as infallible, like God I guess. When he failed to save him, well… I blamed John for Darius' death for a long time."

"You fought?" Adrianna snorted, and then sat down across from Angela.

"Yes, we fought. Actually, I stabbed John. Then I left, to Detroit."

"And now you are back."

"Yes, and now I am back."


	10. Cracked

"You _lost_ her?" Midnite questioned calmly in a deadly voice that made perspiration appear on the top of the bald man's head. "You are capable of sensing fleas and you lost a 6' girl?"

"It's a big city…" Balthazar interrupted walking towards the desk to sit down.

"You're early Balthazar." Midnite said unhappily, sitting down behind his desk.

"Well, I was in the neighborhood as it were…"

"Vaughn, please." Dismissed the bald guard retreated out of the office into the club. "You told John about the child…" Midnite calmly said, fingering the empty mug sitting in front of him.

"Yes, well you didn't keep your end of the deal up now did you Midnite, you were supposed to keep Adrianna off my back."

"You told John about the child,"

"You're repeating yourself shaman…"

"You _told_ John about the child!" Midnite hissed as he grabbed the half-breed by the collar and dragged him over the desk toward him. "Do you have any idea the repercussion of your actions? The balance…"

"What balance Midnite?" Constantine asked, moving out of the shadows where he had snuck in after Balthazar. "You're using a half-breed and an exorcist to do your dirty work, all in defense of your _balance_."

"John, the child…"

"_My_ child!" Midnite released the half-breed as he stalked towards Constantine.

"In the end, this child will be owned by no one! You have not seen what I have!" Constantine's fist moved fast across Midnite's face sending an echoing crunch throughout the room. Midnite's eyes glowed with surprise in the dim light as he licked the blood dribbling out of his nose.

"_My_ child. And _my_ sister." Constantine whispered his fist shaking from the force of the blow.

"The balance…" Midnite began but Constantine cut him off.

"I really don't give two shits for the balance Midnite, but what I do care about is that you were trying to do something to my child and had somehow used my own sister in your plans."

"She really didn't take that much persuading." Said Balthazar from his place on the floor where he sat calmly, his legs crossed.

"Shut up Balthazar." Midnite whispered as he applied a handkerchief to his bleeding nose. "John listen to me, this child… its not your own."

"What do you mean? Are you saying that Angela had an affair?"

"No, I'm saying this child is not innocent, this child will be born having already sinned."

"What are you saying, that's impossible!"

"Ohhh…how delicious!" Balthazar chuckled, licking his lips. Constantine didn't even think, he kicked the half-breed in the face knocking him out.

"What are you saying Midnite?" Constantine asked, sitting down across from him.

"I'm saying it must be destroyed. You are right, I'm not playing by the balance anymore but when I found this out… the things this child is capable of, I couldn't."

"And Adrianna, Balthazar, how did they get involved?"

"Balthazar owed me a favor. And Adrianna, well… I found her the moment I knew."

"And what was your plan Midnite?"

"The plan was to take the child as soon as it was born; we thought it would be easier for you and Angela if you both never knew."

"Is there no other way?" Constantine asked, his hands supporting his head.

"I'm sorry John, but it must be done."

"Are saying I have to kill my own child?"

"No, Adrianna is going to."

I'm so enjoying the comments guys, keep them coming, they just encourage the writing!

P.S. Sorry about all the spelling mistakes, especially with locations.


	11. Exorcist

The words had spilled out of her mouth before she even had time to think, then Angela fell to the floor. Working quickly Adrianna gathered the smaller woman in her arms and carried her into the room and placed her on the unmade bed. Carefully she took rope, three vials, and a cross out of her coat and set them on the floor. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic she tossed the windows open and welcomed the thin morning air. Feeling clearer she threw her jacket into the corner and went to work tying Angela's limbs… like she had done to Darius years before…

"Am I tying these too tight?" Adrianna asked Angela when she began to stir. Angela looked up at her with a shocked expression.

"I didn't even sense you…"

"Yes, well there are ways to block your gift." Angela began to get up when she was jerked back against the bed. Terrified she bucked against her captor.

"That's doing nothing you know. I asked you if they were too tight but I'm beginning to reconsider."

"Why…"

"I have to Angela, I really am sorry but I swear it, you'll look back at all this and be thankful."

"What? You have me tied to the bed; nothing good can come of this!" Adrianna snorted and leapt atop the bed. Making the sign of the cross she began her work…

_Constantine's body snapped under the power of the demon within the young man's body and he fell from the bed. Physically shaken, he drew himself up and attempted to exorcize it one more time…_

"Exorcizo te, omnis spiritus immunde, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, et in noimine Jesu Christi Filii ejus, Domini et Judicis nostri, et in virtute Spiritus Sancti, ut descedas ab hoc plasmate Dei, quod Dominus noster ad templum sanctum suum vocare dignatus est, ut fiat templum Dei vivi, et Spiritus Sanctus habitet in eo. Per eumdem Christum Dominum nostrum, qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et saeculum per ignem." (1) Adrianna said then using one of the vials she wet Angela's ears and nostrils, careful to do the right then the left side of the face. "Capio vos in mihi"(2) She finished, an easy enough process as any but had it worked? Adrianna scanned Angela's face with a keen eye looking for any clues to whether or not it was working. She was unprepared as the reaction flashed through her body throwing her off the bed and onto the floor. Adrianna's body vibrated with the power and she screamed as pure evil settled into her womb.

"_Licentia!" (3) Constantine screamed as he stood atop Darius. _

"_Licentia!" Adrianna joined in, her body shaking along with his as they tried to force the creature out of its host. With a flash both of them were sent sprawling against the far wall as the creature inside Darius reared its ugly head through the boy's skin._

"_Pallens Vos es totus pallens"(4) Darius coughed as blood slid out of his mouth, pooling as his caved in belly and at the sides of the bed. Adrianna shrieked as she ran to his side and covered his body with hers. _

"_Darius, Darius! Please! Licentia!" Adrianna desperately screamed, shaking the pale form beneath her. Constantine dragged his sister back from the bed as the demon roared again. A geyser of bile rose from Darius's stomach as the demon tried to slash his way out of the flesh that surrounded it._

"_Adrianna!" Constantine shook his hysteric sister until she was silent. "We cannot save him. Put aside the emotion; see this as the exorcist you are. You know there is nothing to do aside from take away his pain."_

"_No, no, no!" Adrianna shrieked trying to claw her way to Darius' side._

"_Adrianna! If you won't do it I will!" Adrianna stopped struggling against her brother's grasp and went limp. Red tears trailed down her pale cheeks, dyed by the blood now flooding onto the apartment floor. "Are you able to do it?" Adrianna nodded slowly as she got up and walked slowly to the bed. Adrianna put Darius' hand in hers and kissed his sweating forehead. _

"_Please forgive me…" She whispered into his ear and she drew away. Trying to contain the tears Adrianna fumbled with the pocket knife and wiped it against a clean spot on her jeans. "EGO solvo vos" (5) Adrianna said out-loud as she sliced the blade across Darius' throat. Barely audible was his last breathe as the demon roared within him. _

I exorcise thee, every unclean spirit, in the name of God (X) the Father Almighty, and in the name of Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord and Judge, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, that thou depart from this creature of God, which our Lord hath designed to call unto His holy temple, that it may be made the temple of the living God, and that the Holy Spirit may dwell therein. Through the same Christ our Lord, who shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world by fire.

I take you into me

Leave

Weak, you are all weak

I release you

Note: I am actually in reality a Catholic so I stress that the use of (1) should not be toyed with. If anyone has any questions about some of the symbols I put in Twisted Fate just put in your comments. Thanks for reading!


	12. Awaken

"_Awaken_." The voice demanded through the blackness. Adrianna forced her eyes open and scanned her surroundings. She could hardly remember what had occurred; she had exorcized the thing hadn't she? Adrianna struggled to raise her head, but her neck was like jello and her head like a rock.

"Angela?" Adrianna heard her brothers voice, gentle but strong. "Angela, please. Wake up Angela!" Adrianna opened her mouth to speak but all she could force out was blood.

"John, step aside. Let me see to her." Midnite whispered. Silence engulfed the room and moment's later warmth seemed to seep through the bedroom and light blazed from beside the bed.

"John?" Anglea coughed. Adrianna heard her brother sigh as the bed squeaked beneath added weight. He must be holding her now Adrianna thought as she closed her eyes.

"_Why do you sleep Mother? Awaken. You have had all your life to rest._" The deep voice vibrated through Adrianna's body and caused the muscles to tense in her womb as she blacked out again under the pain.

"John, your sister… I think she tried to exorcise our baby." Angela muffled into John's wrinkled shirt as he pressed her to his chest. "She told me you had asked her to wait here for me, she lied and I believed her… oh God, my baby…" Angela lost what little control she had and began to cry. She hadn't even known that she'd been pregnant for longer than 48 hours, but in that little time she had been happy about the prospect of becoming a mother. She had surprised herself that way.

"Angela, I did ask her to watch after you. But you must understand it is better this way." Each word stung as Constantine whispered it, but he believed Midnite even though he didn't want to.

"What?" Angela asked, her eyes reflecting the pain only known to mother's who loose their children. "You think it is best that our child is dead? Dead? How can you say that, you were going to be a father!"

"Angela, the child was not pure." Midnite said gently. Angela's eyes grew wide and reckless, pushing Constantine away she pressed herself tightly against a corner of the room.

"How can you say that?" She whispered harshly.

"Angela," Constantine made a motion towards her.

"Don't come any closer!" Constantine froze at her screams "How can you say that?" She asked again, shaking as her breathe came faster and faster.

"John, she's over-exciting herself" Midnite warned, feeling her power rise and fire up throughout the room. "She's not well enough for this kind of jolt."

"I know,… Angela, please" He took a step closer, before her flaming powers forced him back against the opposing wall. With a lift of Angela's hand Constantine rose up the wall, and felt her mind's hold on him tighten. Gasping for breath, Constantine met Angela's emotion-wrecked eyes. His vision began to ebb, and he felt reality slip from his fingers, but before he could completely black-out he saw Midnite cross the room to Angela. Moving fast, Midnite stretched his fingers into Angela's chest as he pushed her against the wall. Angela's cries threaded through Constantine's mind as he got up from the floor where he'd been dropped.

"Angela, Angela… please, believe us." Constantine croaked as he tried to sooth her. Midnite's hold began to soften as Angela lost her fight. Constantine ran his fingers through her hair and tried to quiet her.

"Angela, I will now show both you and John what I have seen. If the child had not been destroyed." Midnite whispered. Closing his eyes, he released the floodgate and let Constantine and Angela see the truth.

_A thousand fires – screaming, naked forms – chaos…._


	13. No Endings

**I'm thinking this is my last installment of Twisted Fate, but I might be wrong. Hope you all enjoy! Oh, and I apologize in advance for the grammar/spelling errors, I wrote this in about an hour and was too burned to revise. **

_Oh, the horror_. Angela gasped as her knees fell to the dirty floor. _How could her child be capable of that? _The pain she had been shown left her shaken and deep inside herself she felt something turn._ Relief_… that was what it was and it made Angela sick to her stomach. She was feeling relief that her child had been destroyed, everything she had been taught went against this feeling she had.

She felt Constantine pick her up and set her on his lap as he sat quivering on the side of the bed. All she could do was cry as he held her, taking from him the little comfort he offered.

Midnite watched on as Angela and John tried desperately to comfort one another. Their tears mixed together and left wet marks on the bed. They will never find the comfort they seek, Midnite thought to himself as he turned to leave. But before he could quite make it to the door he saw something out of the corner of his eye. _Adrianna_. He ran to her side and tried to assess the damage. Blood was everywhere, on her clothes and skin staining everything it touched. Midnite touched her skin and jerked back. She was cold, so cold he could swear she was…. Dead? His shaking fingers searched her sweating red skin for any sign of a pulse but he could find none.

"Constantine" He called out softly, trying to hide the panic in his deep voice. "John!" He nearly screamed as he attempted to lift her. Constantine came towards Midnite looking tired, but when he saw his little sister in Midnite's arms he instantly went to motion. "John I can't find her pulse." Midnite whispered as he transferred Adrianna's broken body to her brother's arms. Constantine looked down at his little sister dead in his arms and felt nothing, less than numb. Carrying her to the bathroom he set her down in the tub as he filled it up with hot water. As the water touched her body it swirled red, then pink as it flew down the drain. Pushing up his sleeves Constantine knelt beside the tub and used his hands to clean her skin and clothes. He felt Angela's presence as she leaned against the doorframe and watched on as he stoically took a bar of soap and bubbled it up between his hands. Midnite joined John beside the tub and watched his old friend's face.

"John, I cannot find her pulse, nor sense her being. But there is another thing I sense, something evil. I sense the child is within her, I know not if Adrianna's death can contain this thing. You've seen as I have, you know the risk, I assume you know what has to be done." Constantine's eyes met Midnite with angry defiance.

"No."

"John…" Midnite fought.

"No! I cannot do it." The emotion he had fought to control for his dead child was released in a storm. It was true Constantine had had little to do with Adrianna's life for the past years, but he had felt her presence in the world. Now he felt nothing, just a void where her life had once been. Shaking uncontrollably he leaned against the red flecked tub and brought her out of the water. As he sobbed he held her upper body against his willing it to move, to live. Angela flew to his side and tried to pry him from Adrianna's body.

"John," she took his tear stained face in her hands and met his blood shot eyes. "What Midnite says, it must be done. She's in heaven now, she would understand."

"You have no idea." Constantine whispered as his gaze shot across to Midnite. The witch doctor's gaze met Constantine momentarily before he stood up and slowly backed away. Gently as possible Constantine laid Adrianna body down in the tub and slowly stood up. "But it wouldn't matter would it? Midnite is Adrianna in heaven?" He asked coldly, glaring at Midnite as he stepped towards him. Midnite moved back slowly towards the wall and braced himself there.

"Now John, you know the things Adrianna has done in her life after Darius died. Much like you, there is little place for her in heaven."

"Why Adrianna? I could have done this, it was never her battle to fight, why did you involve her?" Constantine shook as he asked the questions. In an all and out fight Midnite would surely beat him, but after all he had lost in this night he would not go down without the man standing across from him loosing something as well.

"John, lets be rational. You remember in my office earlier this night, you never could have done what Adrianna has done. She saw the future I showed her if _it_ was not destroyed. She understood the risks, but she was willing. In the end it is better; she was never the same after Darius died."

"But now she's down there! With _him_, down there she will find none of the peace she was seeking!"

"She knew the risks John." Midnite said, straightening himself to his full height in case Constantine did in fact try to attack him. "Now move John so I may take her body." But Constantine did not move. "John, the thing still remains within her corpse."

"That _thing_ is my child, and the _corpse_ is my sister. _I_ will do what is necessary, not you."

"John?" Angela called out, coming towards him. Trying to take his hand, he shook her off and she felt him close off from her.

"Midnite take Angela home." Constantine ordered. Midnite opened his mouth to oppose the order, but realized how useless it was. There needn't be any more blood shed today. Moving slowly he took Angela by the shoulder and began guiding her out the door, but before leaving he returned to the tub and knelt beside it. Lifting Adrianna's head a breadth out of the water he kissed her forehead and released it.

"You need to burn…" Constantine cut Midnite off.

"I know what needs to be done, now go." Midnite paused to glance at his old friends face. If it was possible for a man to age fifty years in an hour he had seen it occur. Taking the blank looking Angela by the hand he led her out of the apartment and onto the streets of a buzzing city. With a painful pang in his heart he knew Constantine would not seek Angela out, that happiness he had felt during their time together was passed.

By the light of the moon Constantie drove a stolen car through the city, into the suburbs, past them, and to the county dump where he had done what he now went to do a handful of times before. With his sister cleaned body in the trunk, he drove to the back of the dump and searched out the place he feared in his dreams. A metal alter, towering the height of Constantine's body. Gently he held his sister in his arms and placed her on the sun heated metal. He arranged her stiffening limbs as best he could, and for a moment he nearly thought she was sleeping. Even though he knew her soul would now never find peace, the look on her face denied that. She looked as she always had when she slept. Collecting sticks and other flammable pieces of junk Constantine let his mind wonder to the past. Often times when she was a little girl he would creep into her room to watch her sleep. She had been for the majority of her life the sole happiness in his. He'd been so uncertain when she was first given into his care, but when he realized she had all the gifts he had seen the potential. He could give her what he had never received as a child. When the things she saw made life difficult for her Constantine would be there to reassure her. _He would never let anything hurt her_ he had promised himself the day he realized he loved her. Little did he know that through the years his promise would be impossible to keep. Darius's death had been his first clue, then the pain he saw her causing herself. Though she had believed they lived at separate sides of the country and were dead to each other Constantine would hop a plane to Detroit whenever he could muster up the cash to watch her. He had seen with his own two eyes the men she gave herself to, the drugs she did, trying to forget about the love she had had to kill. Now she lay before Constantine dead. In the same spot where she and him had burned Darius' body, and Constantine had burned others, he would light his sister and his child on fire and smell her burning flesh and hair, watch as she bubbled and oozed. This place was the last stand he had as an exorcist against demons. When a human host died during the exorcism the demon still remained within. It had to be destroyed. Other times, like with Darius, the host had to be killed in order for this last stage to take place.

Taking a book of matched from his front coat pocket he placed the match he chose for her on the car hood as he dragged a gallon of gas from the car. Opening it, he barely touched Adrianna's body with the odorous liquid as he dumped it on the pile of junk he had placed at the base of the alter. It would catch, and eventually she would catch.

He flung the empty container on top of the pile and returned to the car for the single match. Strike anywhere. He struck it against the metal alter and lit a cigarette before dropping it. The wind picked up and almost instantly Adrianna's long black hair was aflame, dancing about her resting head like a halo. A muffled scream came from deep within her still figure, but Constantine ignored it as he took another puff of the poison he set to his lips. He watched till the cigarette was at the filter then threw it into the flames. Adrianna's damp clothes were beginning to catch and Constantine could detect the faint smell of burning flesh in the breeze. Trying not to look back he returned to the car, got in and started her up. With one last gaze in his rear view mirror he tore it off the car and threw it in the back seat, he wouldn't be needing it where he was going.

**Coming Soon! The Sequel to 'Twisted Fate' --> 'The Bounty of Giants'!**


	14. Never As It Seems

Midnite drove with his headlights off as he made his way to where he knew Constantine had taken the body. Parking behind some debris he watched as John Constantine set fire to his sister's still form, then flew out of the junk yard in his dilapidated vehicle. Blood would be spilt this night, and had already been.

Using all the strength he could muster Midnite extinguished the flames that licked across Adrianna's flesh. Hot to the touch he dragged her down from the altar and into his arms. Cradling her he began to chant the words he had practiced again and again from the day Adrianna and he had planned this,

"Meus Senior refero unus lost quod pollicitus volo. Tergum pro tergum , animus pro animus. Quis eram pensus." It would be a long night, but in the end everything would once again be as it should.

**Short, short, short. I know. But after such a long break give a girl the chance to ease back into the story. Just a little cliffhanger for fun!**


	15. Burnt

Adrianna woke up slowly, her scarred flesh painfully cracking as she breathed

Adrianna woke up slowly, her scarred flesh painfully cracking as she breathed. Her brother had set her on fire, not exactly an episode of The Brady Bunch. God, she wanted a drink. Adrianna licked her parched lips and tried to sit up. Waves of black crashed through her mind as she fell heavily onto the damp cement floor. Adrianna screamed painfully as her burns touched the ground. She didn't open her eyes, she just lay in a pathetic puddle on the floor listening to her own jagged breath.

"I'd kill for a cigarette right now." Adrianna mumbled as she tried to draw herself upright. No dice, she fell back agonizingly on her burns.

"The floor might be a better place for you than the couch, nice and cool." Midnite's voice called from beside the oven where something delicious bubbled. "And I wouldn't exactly recommend a cigarette considering you were just on fire." Adrianna changed positions on the floor and found that it indeed have its perks.

"What are you making?" Adrianna asked.

"Some balm for your burns, I've already used up my initial supply."

"It smells like cookies."

"I wouldn't recommend you eating it." Midnite snorted as he brought a steaming bowl towards her. With creaking knees he knelt beside her and began applying it to her arms. Adrianna closed her eyes in bliss as pain was replaced with a pleasant numbness. Midnite's warm hands gently kneaded burnt flesh, his eyes never leaving hers. "Unfortunately I had to keep you in the fire longer than I would have liked, your brother stayed for some time. But I do believe I was able to get rid of the thing." Midnite softly said. Lifting up the musty blanket her body was covered in, Midnite moved his soothing hands down her scarred back. Adrianna savored the tension between them, ever since she had met Midnite for the first time there had been this unspeakable attraction. Arrogantly she reveled in the power she had over him. Even when she had been a drunken whore he had loved her.

"He thinks I'm dead?" Adrianna croaked, still unused to talking.

"Of course, though I'm still unsure as to why."

"I have my reasons." Adrianna whispered, turning her face from his. Midnite continued his way down her back, the air between them sparking with energy.

"Would you like my bed? I put you on the couch initially because it was closer, but I think you are well enough to make the journey now." Midnite whispered as he replaced the blanket over her.

"No, I'm fine here." Adrianna replied. Midnite placed the empty bowl on the table beside the couch and laid down next her. Not touching her, knowing it would cause her pain, he lined his length beside her and closed his eyes.

**Once again, sorry so short. Its been a while since I've added to this story and I'm not quite sure where I'm going with it yet :)**

**Just to remind you there is a sequel to this story available 'The Bounty of Giants' that I update as well. **

**-much love-**

**JSullivan**


	16. Musty Blanket

He had always loved her, at first like a little sister and then something more. Smiling, he remembered the first time he had seen her. Long black hair drawn in two matching pigtails, her dark eyes smudged with tears and uncertainty. As her mother and half-brother fought in the other room Midnite sat her on his lap and soothed her with stories he had been told as a child. Unlike her brother, she had trusted him from the start. It hadn't been easy for Constantine to accept the responsibility of a three year old and Midnite had played surrogate until Constantine finally accepted the role. Still, they had never lost that bond formed so long ago.

Midnite looked across the room at Adrianna's huddled mass. Concern swept his brow as he watched her shiver on the floor. With long strides he came beside her, lifted her in his arms, and started towards the bedroom.

"What are you doing?" Adrianna whispered, her speech choppy as it escaped chattering teeth. "I was fine." She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but his arms were like iron.

"You have a fever." Midnite threw the covers back on his bed and slipped her inside. Adrianna weakly attempted to get up but flopped back down with exhaustion.

"Stop punishing yourself Adrianna. Just like your brother, always playing the martyr." Midnite clucked in a motherly tone as he draped another blanket on top of her.

"I'm fine." Adrianna shivered. Midnite smiled at her stubbornness.

"Stay here, I need to grab something to kill your fever." Midnite sorted through a dark closet containing rare herbs, relics, and random odds and ends before he found what he was looking for. When he entered the room Adrianna was standing weakly, swaying back and forth, wrapped only in the musty blanket that had covered her for days. "Adrianna-"

"No, I'm fine." Adrianna insisted, trying to hide the wobble in her voice. Slowly she stepped towards the doorframe his tall frame inhabited. Midnite set the medicine he had just retrieved on the neighboring dresser and crossed his arms.

"If you can get past me, I'll let you go lay on the floor again." With a surprising burst of strength Adrianna shoved him out the door and walked past him towards the couch. Midnite grinned with pride. In two strides he had her strung over his shoulder, avoiding her kicking legs and pounding fists. Without being gentle he threw her on the bed.

"Fuck you!" Adrianna seethed, eyes flashing in the dim bedroom light. Midnite smiled down at her in satisfaction. Heading back to the dresser he grabbed the medicine.

"You need to take this Adrianna." She glowered at him.

"Don't make me force it down your throat because I swear you won't like it." Adrianna grabbed the vial from his hands and drank it down. An odd look crossed her face as she passed the empty vial back to him.

"What is in that?" Adrianna gagged. Midnite ignored her question, shutting the door behind him. From behind closed doors he heard her roar in frustration.

* * *

After a full night of attending to business Midnite returned to his quarters beneath the club to check on Adrianna. He found her restlessly asleep, legs hugged close for warmth. Despite three down blankets and the medicine he had given her she still shivered with fever. Midnite silently stripped down to his undergarments and lifted the comforter to enter the bed. Adrianna's eyes flew open as she felt his added weight.

"What are you doing?" Adrianna whispered hoarsely. Midnite lay down beside her but she scooted away.

"You need more warmth to break the fever."

"Like hell I do." Adrianna spat, pasting herself to the edge of the mattress. Forcefully he closed his arms around her and held her tight until she stopped fighting him. Eventually she stopped struggling and he loosened his hold. The smell of her, the feel of her in his arms was intoxicating. As sappy as it sounded he could lay like this forever. The thought that a musty blanket was the only thing separating their bare skin killed him. In her sleep she pressed her body closer to his and he froze. Was he insane? This was John Constantine's little sister! He had known her since she was three and was nearly a decade older than her! He looked down at her sleeping face and felt the intense connection they shared. Originally he had denied the feelings he had for her, pushing her way. At the time she was fifteen, he twenty-seven, and his feelings for her left him feeling perverted and dirty. For a time she had given up on him, instead falling for someone more her age. When Darius had died she had gone crazy for a time, to some extent she still was. Sex, drugs, and booze had consumed her and it had killed him to watch her destroy herself. When he learned of Constantine's child, saw what it was, he instantly contacted her and their bond was there still. He found her changed that night he first contacted her. She was older, wiser, jaded but still stubborn with a sharp wit. Deep beneath the scars she was still the Adrianna he had denied so many years ago.

Adrianna snuggled closer to his warmth and he moved to accommodate her. As a shaman, a man of medicine, he ached to heal the damage life had inflicted on her. He hoped he could.

**I really have no idea where I am going with this, so if you have any suggestions please send them my way. Also I hope you like the whole Adrianna/Midnite relationship, I do!**

**-much love-**

**JSullivan**


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